Earth, 2024…
“FINALLY, I GOT A JOB!!!”
Exclaimed a young man with black hair, his joyous proclamation cutting through the hustle and bustle of the busy street.
“Has he gone mad?”
“Shouting like an idiot”
Passersby murmured and shot him strange glances, deliberately avoiding proximity. Yet, the black-haired young man paid no mind to the onlookers; his attention was solely on the piece of paper clutched tightly in his hands.
/APPOINTED/
Tears of joy streamed down his face, “Finally, finally…” he muttered the word repeatedly, laughter escaping him inaudibly.
Just landing a job was his lifelong goal.
Back in school, he wasn’t the academic star or even an average student. Instead, he was like a bit of an oddball…an utter failure, struggling with every subject despite relentless day-and-night studying.
No matter how hard he tried, attempting to cheat or studying honestly, success in exams seemed impossible. Concerned about his academic performance reaching a critical point, his parents made the tough decision…..not to ‘invest’ more money in his education.
At just 15, he found himself reluctantly dropping out of high school, closing the door on any dreams of college.
Though disappointed, his parents, driven by a sense of ‘Familial’ duty, attempted to find something he was good at….. Yet, every effort ended in disaster, and their disappointment in him deepened.
Initially, they guided him to work as a server in a friend’s bakery, a suggestion he accepted without hesitation…because he felt he had no other choice.
However, in the blink of an eye, he found himself unceremoniously ousted from the bakery. The disappointment in his parents’ eyes escalated to sheer exasperation when they received the ‘details’ from their friends:
On the very first day, he clumsily shattered a set of utensils. The following day, customers took unexpected slips and slides, courtesy of his incomplete floor cleaning.
What’s more, he nearly got into a fight with a customer for reasons unknown. And just when they thought it couldn’t get any worse, tasked with the seemingly straightforward job of cleaning the restroom to avoid their dwindling customer base…..he not only broke the flush but also managed to clog the drain.
Imagine this—the entire bakery was inundated with shits.
“MY BAKERY STORE NOW SMELLS LIKE SHIT, AND HE?…. HE WAS THERE, LAUGHING LIKE AN IDIOT!!!” This was what their Friend, the owner of the bakery shouted with deadly eyes.
His parents, frustration boiling over, shouted and scolded him for what they perceived as utter uselessness. Still, as parents, they persevered, attempting to find other job opportunities for him. Thanks to understanding neighbours, he managed to secure a position as a delivery guy in a pizza shop.
This time around, he very sincerely put in his very best effort, determined not to cause any more problems for his parents. Surprisingly, he successfully held onto the job for more than a week. However, as fate would have it, the following month brought a sudden end to his employment.
Internal strife among the delivery staff erupted, and he became the target due to his refusal to join their payment hike strike. To make matters worse, they framed him as their strike leader. However, this wasn’t the actual reason for his termination…..Fuelled by anger at being falsely accused, he lashed out violently inside the pizza shop, resulting in a severe altercation. Customers, witnessing the brutality, called the police, and he was promptly fired for his aggressive actions.
Only with the support of his parents did he manage to navigate the legal consequences and emerge from prison with relatively few problems. This incident marked another setback in his turbulent journey, leaving him once again without a job.
After that incident, his parents ceased recommending him for any further jobs. Even so, he persisted in his job search by his own way, managing to stay employed for longer durations than in previous positions. However, inevitably, after around six months, he found himself let go, often for reasons unbeknownst to him.
Twelve years slipped away, marked by a lack of permanent employment. By this time, his parents had already cast him out, concerned that his ‘presence’ might disrupt the comfort of his younger brother.
Currently, he resided in a rundown place where housing was more affordable, scraping by with the little money he could muster…..Life was a constant yearning for more.
A few days ago, he heard his younger brother had been working in a respected and popular company called ‘Yoogle’… Swallowing his ‘pride’, he pleaded to his younger brother and, after persistent requests, managed to secure a job through his brother’s recommendation.
‘Ring~Ring’
The phone’s insistent ring pulled the black-haired young man from his thoughts. Wiping away the tears that had welled up, he retrieved an old-fashioned button-type phone and answered hesitantly,
“Hello?”
“Did you get the job?”
“Y-Yes, it’s all thanks to you, brother–”
“Yeah, yeah…I know you got the job”
“Y-Yes?”
“Listen, shithead, I helped you because you begged me, not because of our brotherhood or anything. Do. you. get. it?”
“…..” The black-haired man’s lips trembled as he nodded, holding the phone but remaining silent.
The other side just continued without waiting for a response,
“Anyway, hereafter, don’t ever contact me or even MY parents. They’ve totally forgotten about you and are living happily. I don’t want you to disrupt their healthy life after all this time just because I helped you….. Do. you. understand?”
“…Y-Yes, I won’t” the black-haired man said with a small smile.
“Good. Then all the best… Mr. Security guard”.
“Y-Yes, S-Sir, and Thank–” The black-haired man was about to respond, but it seemed the other party had already cut the call.
Staring at the phone, he slipped it into his worn-out black pants. As he started walking with heavy steps, he hid his trembling eyes, determined not to let the tears spill over.
‘Step, Step…’
No anger lingered towards his younger brother or his parents. Deep down, he knew he deserved the label of being called useless….. Not able to break the shackles and to create his own path and be controlled by his father till now… He was truly useless.
If he had heard those words eight years ago, he might have punched his brother’s face and made sure he regretted ever saying them. However, after being berated with disgusting and disparaging words by society, he felt his little brother was better off.
Society changes everything and…. Everyone.
‘Ring~Ring’
The jarring sound jolted him from his thoughts. Retrieving his phone, a gentle smile adorned his face,
“Yo, man. Did you get the job?”
Hearing the infectious cheer in the voice, the black-haired man masking his face responded with an equal measure of enthusiasm,
“Yo, Man, I finally got the fucking Job!!” He declared happily, a smirk playing on his lips.
“N-NANI!! Fucking Job!!! I-I-I am also coming!! Wait there…I want that job, let me sign up for that!!”
“Sigh, you damn fucking, idiotic Baka!! It’s just a security job” the black-haired man sighed, a mixture of exasperation and amusement. In that moment, he couldn’t help but smile at the thought of his overly enthusiastic horny otaku friend.
In his high school days, he wasn’t alone; he had two friends. Even though he dropped out, his friends still maintained his contact. His friends were different from him….what set them apart was their dreams and the passion that fuelled those aspirations.
One friend was a budding novel writer, fueled by the desire to craft entire worlds and captivating journeys for readers to immerse themselves in…..He achieved his goals. His dreams materialized, and he found resounding success, now employed at the prestigious novel company ‘ZebMovel’.
The other friend, a damn otaku, harboured a fervent wish to create entirely new gaming experiences for ‘people’ like himself….His unwavering determination paid off, and he achieved his goal, currently working at the renowned gaming company ‘FlyStation’.
As he reflected on their paths, the black-haired guy couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions…..pride for his friends’ achievements, a tinge of envy. Unlike him, they had clear ambitions propelling them toward fulfilling lives, stirring a sense of longing within him.
“Oh, a Security job?”
The black-haired man snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing that and replied,
“Yes, a security job” with a smile.
“You know, we could get you better j—”
“No, no, I don’t want my only friends to hate” the black-haired man immediately refused.
The thought of relying on his friends for a better job crossed his mind, but he dismissed it. He was well aware that any trouble he caused in a better position would reflect negatively on his friends. Just like him, they had faced their share of struggles, and he didn’t want to be the reason for any disruption in their successful lives.
And also his father might cause something regrettable….
The black-haired man wasn’t heartless; he understood the value of his friends’ hard-earned success.
“sigh, Still the same”
“…” The black-haired man just smiled, offering no verbal response.
“Anyhow, you finally got a permanent job… It’s time to party. I will call that other closet writer”
“Well, I don’t hav—”
“I will pay, you idiot!!”
“Hehe…” The black-haired man chuckled. As he stood in front of the crossing lane, watching the vehicles pass by, his emotions were a complex interplay of various feelings.
“Hmm…. Have you…”
“Hmm?”
“Have you heard about ‘Her’ engagement?”
The black-haired man’s body flinched for a second before his gaze fixated on the red light.
“No” He muttered.
“…”
“….”
The silence lingered for a few moments, both men feeling a palpable awkwardness. His friend, sensing the discomfort, decided to change the subject,
“You know, I got hit by a 3D girl”
“…Hmm? What? Are you sure it’s a girl? It’s not a trap, right?” The black-haired man replied with genuine surprise, his curiosity piqued.
“Jerk, she has big tits and a lean body…, You know it’s really big…. She is definitely a girl” A hint of annoyance carried in the voice.
“…Oh? Interesting, who is that unlucky girl?” The black-haired man raised his eyebrows in shock, intrigued by the unfolding narrative.
“Tsk, she should be lucky enough to have me, you single jerk!!”
The black-haired man’s lips twitched, a mix of amusement and disbelief crossing his face. He was about to reply when,
“HONK!! HONK!!”
A deafening honking sound reverberated through the air, and the black-haired man saw a big white milk truck hurtling towards him, seemingly out of control.
Everything seemed to slow down in the black-haired man’s eyes, ‘Am I going to die?… heh’ he thought, a rush of fear and uncertainty coursing through him.
In a split second,
‘THUD’
‘SSSHHHHKKKKKKKKK—-‘
The white milk truck’s tyres screeched as it collided with the wall of the building, finally coming to a halt. Its entire front side was now covered with a vivid crimson colour, a shocking and surreal sight that left the onlookers momentarily frozen in disbelief.
“SHIT!” The driver of the truck emerged unscathed, stepping out with a mix of disbelief and relief.
